Toothbrush holder



April 27, 1948. c. F. scHuLTE TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER Filed March 2, 1946 ff jPatented Apr. 27, 1948 UNITED srArEs NT OFFICE My invention relates toholders for the detachable reception of articles, and more specificallyto holders of the type which supporta plurality of articles to be usedin a set rotational order.

The present form of my invention constitutes a holder for tooth brushes,but it will be manifest that the same is adaptable for use with variousother articles, such as cutting tools, drill bits, etc., whererotational usage of the articles is desired or required.

It is therefore the general object of my invention to provide a holderfor the Vdetachable reception of a plurality of articles which permitsof the removal of the articles only in a set rotational order.

It is another object of my invention to provide a holder of thischaracter which is structurally simple and free of a multiplicity ofmoving parts and is thereby inexpensive to manufacture.

It is still a further object of my invention to provide a holder of thischaracter which provides means whereby the rotational order of thearticles, supported by the holder, may not be unintentionally changed orinterrupted before removal therefrom.

For a further understanding of my invention, reference is mad'e to thefollowing description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved tooth brush holder;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a bottom elevational view;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modied form of my invention, whereinthe holder is adapted for two sets of tooth brushes to Ibe removed inrotational order;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of this modied form;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view thereof.`

With reference to the drawings, it will be seen that my improved holdercomprises a U-shaped body I Il formed of a suitable material such as oneof the many commercial plastics, or of a semiresilient metal. The bodyIll is formed with a pair of inturned flanges II having adjoiningresiliently separable edges or jaws I2, the latter being recessed so asto Iprovide a rectangular opening I3 adapted to receivethe handles oftooth brushes supported by the flanges of the holder.

At the entrance or receiving end I4 of the holder, the outer edges ofthe jaws I 2 are rounded to constitute a relieved or indented portion I5which permits of relative separation between the 3 Claims. (Cl. 211--65)jawswhen the handle of a, tooth brush is forced therebetween and towardthe opening I3. VAt the opposite or removal end I5, the Vouter edges ofthe jaws form a relatively straight smooth surface to prevent suchrelative separation between thejaws.

At the removal end of the opening I3, the jaws are also rounded toprovide another indented portion I'I which allows, upon the removal ofthe tooth brush handle, the separation of the jaws. The opposite end ofthe opening, at the juncture ci the jaws is relatively straight andsmooth so as to prevent the separation of the jaws.

Thus it will be seen that a tooth brush handle may be inserted betweenthe jaws only fromthe entrance side I4, and that the brush may beremoved from the opening only by moving it toward the removal ordischarge side I 6.

In use, the holder supports two or more tooth brushes which are insertedthrough the receiving end I 4 and are held by the flanges within theopening I3. As one of the brushes is taken from the removal side foruse, it will be manifest that it can only be replaced within the hol-derby inserting it in the receiving side, thus presenting the unused brushto the removal side for the next usage. This is a particularly desirablefeature, in that the brushes are, in this manner, used in rotation, andunder normal usage are allowed sufficient time for drying. Also, it hasbeen found that by using two brushes in rotation, the useful life ofeach individual brush is greatly increased.

Figs. 4 through 6 disclose a modified form of my improved holderincorporating the same rotational removal feature. In this form, theholder is adapted for two sets of brushes. The holder bodies I0 arespaced one from the other and are connected by an integral rear wall I8extending between the two units.

It will be seen that my improved holder may be easily constructed forfamily use by the simple addition of several more of the abovesupporting bodies.

'Ihe single set holder, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is adapted forattachment to a wall or other fiat surface by driving a screw throughthe screw holes IS located in the rear wall of the body. To allow easyaccess to these screws, I have provided a pair of relatively enlargedaccess apertures '2U through which the head of a screw driver may beinserted for driving contact with the screws. In the double or pluralform, as in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, screw holes i 9 are provided in theconnecting rear wall I8, and are easily accessible by nature of thespaced relationbf the holder bodies.

In View of the foregoing, it will be seen that my improved tooth brushholder provides a structurally simple and positive means for supportingseveral tooth brushes, and at the same time serves as a device wherebythe brushes may only be inserted and removed from the holder in a givenrotational order. Further, my invention provides a sanitary protectivecovering for the brushing head and allows ample ventilation necessaryfor drying by the nature of its open ends. My invention is characterizedby its economy of manufacture, and its positive operation.

While I have disclosed what I now deem to be preferred forms of myinvention, it will be manifest that minor variations, as to details ofconstruction and design, may be later accomplished without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An article holder comprising a body formed to include a pair ofhorizontally aligned resiliently separable jaws, the latter havingadjoining edges, at least one of said edges being recessed to provide anopening for the reception of handles of articles to be supported by saidjaws, said edges at the article entrance end of the `laws being relievedto permit of relative separation between sai-d jaws when a handle of anarticle is forced therebetween and toward said opening, the opposite orarticle-removal end of the jaws being unrelieved to prevent theinsertion of an article handle therebetween, and one end onli7` of saidopening at the article-removal side thereof being relieved to permit -ofthe passage of an article during removal thereof from the holder throughthe separation of the jaws.

2. An article holder comprising a U-shaped body formed to include a pairof inturned horizontally aligned resiliently separable jaws havingadjoining edges, said edges being recessed to provide an opening for thereception of handles of articles to be supported by said jaws, saidedges being relieved at the article entrance end of the jaws to permitof relative separation between said jaws when a handle of an article isforced therebetween and toward said opening, the opposite or articleremoval end of the jaws being unrelieved to prevent the insertion of anartlcle handle therebetween, and one end only of said opening at thearticle-removal side thereof being relieved to permit of the passage ofan article during removal thereof from the holder through the separationof the jaws.

Y 3. An article holder comprising a tunnelshape'd body formed with apair of inturned horizontally aligned ilanges, the internal edges ofsaid flanges forming a plurality of resiliently separable adjoiningjaws, said jaws being recessed-to provide an opening for the receptionof handles of articles to be supported by said flanges, said edges atthe article entrance end of the body being relieved to permit ofrelative separation between said jaws when a handle of an article isforced therebetween and toward said opening, the edges at thearticle-removal end of said body being unrelieved to prevent theinsertion of an article handle therebetween, and one end only of saidopening at the article-removal side thereof being relieved to permit ofthe passage of an article during removal thereof from the holder throughthe separation of the jaws.

CHARLES F. SCHULTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

